Stamp-affixer.



' TNO. 707,|9a.

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IIIIIUIIIIHINIIIII III Willman.

E. A. BIENENSTDK. f

STAMP AFFIXEE.

Application mea my 27, `19o1.)

UNiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDGAR A. EIENENsroK, oE sr. LoU'is`MissoUEI.

STAM P'AFFIXER.

sPE'ci'FIcATIoN forming para of Letters-Patent No. 707,198, dai-.QaV August 19; 1902.

Application filed May 27| 190]..

LTO @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EDGAR A. BrENnNsroK,

a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Stamp-Aftixers, of which thefollowing is a full, clear,I and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it apof the same.- Fig. 3 is a rear'elevational view.

Fig. 4 isa sectional view on line `4 4, Fig. l; Fig. 5 is a sectional view online 5 5,y Fig; l.

This invention relates to a newvand usefulN improvement in a machine for afixing stam ps to mail-matter, the object being to construct a device of the character described in a cheap and compactferm, utilizing av small number of moving parts,'so as to' reduce the liability of the machinetoget out of order.

With these objects in View the invention consists in the arrangement,construction,and combination of the several parts, all as will hereinafter be described and afterward pointed out inthe claims; v

In the drawings, Aindicates the base of the machine,from which rises a standard a. Thisu standard is provided with 'a vertical openingv for the reception of the shank of a plunger-B.

b indicates ahead on the Vupper end of the plunger, under which is arranged aspring h', said spring bearing at its lower end against the top of the standard ct and tending to hold the plunger in an elevated position at all times.

b2 indicates the head on the lower end of the plunger, through which head projects a springpressed pilot-plunger C. This pilot-plungeris provided with a head onits lower end,Which is designed to be received in a recess in the under face of the plunger-head bwhereby when the plunger B is depressed the pilotplunger first engages the stamp to be aixed and holds itin position While the plunger continues to descend. `Theplunger B is preferably of such size as to entirely cover the stamp,

s'o'that the stamp receives a uniform pressure over its entire" area. The pilot-plunger C is stanno. 62,080. (Nomaden designed to hold the stamp in positionwhile the plunger B severs thestampfromthe' strip, as will hereinafter bev described'.

d indicates a table or bed upon which the envelop is placed preparatory to receiving a stamp. One edge (the back) of this table is provided with an overhanging ange a2 to- ,gerthe same is preferably moved in from the side, and in this action the envelop passes under a moistening device in the form of a felt or other Wiper d, which is carried upon the end of a vertical swinging framed). The

.table 0, is vformed with an opening as, through which the wiper d operates, the opening as leading to a chamber or receptacle d4 in the p base of the machine,`in which receptacle is placed Water ory other suitable liquid. As

shown in Fig. 4, the frame D and its carried wiper are lheld in a loweredv position by a spring d', the Wiper being in contact with the liquid in the receptacle a4; When an envelop is introduced from Athe side, it raises the swinging frameD, and asit passes under the wiper is moistened before it'reaches a position underftheplunger B; When the plungerv B is`depressed, the stampiis forceddown onto the moistened part of the envelop. Frame Dis pivoted inan overhanging extension a5, secured to the standard a, which eX- tension is provided withja guiding-lodged, resting upon the iiangeaz. This overhanging frame also carries a-bar a7, arranged in the path of movement of the wiper` d and f against which the wiperlis forced when raised by the introduction of an envelop thereunder. This bar a7 forces the :wiper into close contact with the envelop to vbe moistened.

In order to introduce water into the recep-y tacle d4, I provide angopening afson thebase, which opening is exposed, as s hownin Fig. 1.

ai indicates a rearward extension projecting from the base A and provided With-grooves forming a guideway fora reciprocating pawlcarrying plate E. On the inner end of this plate are arranged a series ot'- stamp-advancing pawls F, loosely mounted on a common pintle and preferably held collectively in a groove in the upper face of the rearward eX- tension a9. A springfcoperates with these pawls to hold them in their lowered posit-ion.

c indicates a tongue of metal struck up from the plate E, which tongue is received in the bifurcation of an operating bell-crank lever G. This lever G is mounted upon an extension upon the standard a, its upper end being slotted, as at g, to receive a pin b3 on the plunger B. In operation as the plunger is depressed the pawl-carrying plate is moved rearwardly by the lever G, so that the teeth on its pawls, or, at least, some of them, will fall into the perforations between the stam ps or behind a single stamp, as the case may be, for the purpose of advancing another stamp, when the plunger rises, into position under the plunger. When at home, the teeth on the inner ends of the group of pawls rest at the edge of what might be termed a continuation of the flange d2.

In order to prevent a return movement ot' the stamps after said stamps have been advanced by the group of pawls, I provide a wedging-pawl H, mounted in a suitable support extending up from the base, which wedging-pawl permits the stamps to be advanced by the group of pawls F, but by a wedging action holds the stamps against a return movement when the grouped advancing pawls are retracted.

In order to iirmly hold the strip of stamps in position to insure the severance of the stamp under the plunger, I mount a presserframe I upon the plunger-head b2, which presser-frame When the plunger is elevated occupies a plane slightly below the lower face of the plunger. This presser-frame is held in its lowered position by means of a spring fr', surrounding a shank thereof and arranged between guiding lugs or ears b4, secured to the plunger-head b2.

In operation the stamps to be alhxed to letters are introduced under the plate E in the form of strips, and an idle vibration is imparted to the plunger B, so as to place the first stamp in position under said plunger. The envelop to be stamped is forced under the wiper until arrested in the proper position under the plunger and under the stamp in the path of the plunger. The plunger is now depressed and in so doing rst retracts the frame E and its carried group of advancing pawls. The wedge-pawl II prevents the group of paWls from dragging the stamp under the plunger out of proper position. As the plunger descends the pilot-plunger engages the stamp and forces it onto the ens velop. Then the presser-frame I engages the adjacent stamp for the purpose of holding it and its connected strip against movement, and, finally, the plunger forces the stamp in its path onto the envelop, and in so doing the plunger severs said stamp from the strip. This severance may be accomplished readily in the event that a line of perforations is over 'reales the edge of the shoulder d10, which corresponds to an extension of the flange d2. In any event the rear edge of the plunger travels past the edge d10 and acts with said edge to shear the stamp from its companions and force the same onto the moistened space on the envelop.

I am aware that minor changes in the arrangement, construction, and combination of the several parts of my device can be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without in the least departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a stamp-affixer, the combination wit-h a support for the article to be stamped, of an overhanging frame, a pivoted wiper mounted in said frame, and depending toward the supporting-surface for the article to be stamped, whereby said article can pass between said frame and said Wiper, and a bar with which said wiper coperates to force said wiper upon the article to be wiped; substantially as described.

2. In a stamp-affixer, the combination with a support for the article to be stamped, a iiange arranged upon the side of said support, an overhanging frame, aguiding-ledge on said frame and above said flange, a pivoted wiper mounted in said overhanging frame and depending toward the supportingsurface for the article to be stamped, Whereby said article can pass between said surface and said wiper, and a bar a7 for coperating with the Wiper to force said wiper upon the article to be wiped; substantially as described.

3. In a stamp-aflixer, the combination with a support for the article to be stamped, of a plunger for aiixing the stamp, a recoveringspring for said plunger, and a pilot-plunger projecting beneath the main plunger immediately above the stamp to be aflixed when said stamp is in position to be affixed; substantially as described.

4. In a stamp-aiiixer, the combination with a support for the article to be stamped, of a stamp-afiixing plunger, means exerting pressure against said plunger to hold it constantly in an elevated position, a pilot-plunger telescopically mounted in the lower end of said first-mentioned plunger and arranged Within the area of the lower face of said stamp-affixing plunger, and means coperating with said pilot-plunger tending to hold the same constantlyin a lowered position; substantially as described.

5. In a stamp-aflixer, the combination with a support for the article to be stamped, of a plunger provided with a head on its lower end designed to cover the stamp to be aXed, a spring for holding said plunger in an elevated position above the support, a pilot-plunger IOO IIO

recessed on its under side to receive the pilotplunger, and a spring for holding said pilotplunger in a lowered position; substantially as described.

I a main plunger, of a presser-frame yieldingly' 6. In a stamp-affilier, the combination with a support for the article tobe stamped, of a Way for receiving a strip of stamps, said waybeing located on a plane above the support for the article to be stamped so as to forma shoulder d10, a vibrating plate mounted to travel in said way, a group of pawls mounted on said vibrating .plate,`a main plunger for shearing or severing the stamp at the shoulder al", a pilot-plunger for holding the stam p upon the article to be stamped while the mainv plunger is operating on the stamps, and a connection between said main plunger and the vi. brating plate; substantially as described.

. 7. In a stamp-aftixer, thecombination with mounted thereon and normally located on a lower planethan the face of the main plunger,

and a pilot-plunger; substantially as described. 8. In a stamp-affiner, the combination with a main plunger, of a way for a strip of stamps, a shoulder a10 over which the stamps are advanced in the path of the main plunger, a

pilot-'plunger mounted in the main plunger` for holding the stamps in position while said stamps are being operated upon-,bythe main plunger, means for. advancing the stamps Y in the paths of the main and pilot plunger,l and a yielding presser-frame mounted on the main plunger for engaging the adjacent stamp before the main plunger severs thestamp to be affixed, substantially as described.

9. In a stamp-aftlxer, the combination -with a support for the article to be stamped,l of a `moistening device, a way for receiving a stripof stamps, said way terminating at a shoulder shoulder, a plunger operating in juxtaposition to the shoulder, a pilot-plunger for engaging thestamp to be afxed and forcing it onto the article to be stamped, and a presser-frame for` 40 l '0.10, means for advancing the stamps over saidengaging the adjacent stamp andrholding it while the plunger severs the stamp to be afi xed from its companions; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereuntoaffix myV signature, inthe presence of. two witnesses,-

this 23d day of May, 1901. A 4

EDGAR A. BIENENSTOK.

Witnesses: n Y

GEORGE BAKEWELL, WM. H. SCOTT. 

